The Most Hated Green

Growing up, we never ate brussel sprouts. Not sure why, probably because we were more of a greenbean family, but they never graced our plates. Yesterday morning, H asked about supper and I said I felt like perusing the supermarket aisles and seeing what looked good. So that’s what I did and we wound-up with brussel sprouts.

However I’d never made brussel sprouts before, so I didn’t know where to start. Except that I did – with Epicurious.

1 pound Brussels sprouts

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

5 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, or to taste, preferably freshly grated

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Trim the ends off the Brussels sprouts and remove and discard any discolored outer leaves. If sprouts are large (more than 1 inch in diameter), cut them in quarters lengthwise through the stem end. If smaller, cut them in half.

Bring 2 quarts of water to boil, add salt and the sprouts. Boil the sprouts uncovered until they are just crunchy-tender, about 5 minutes. Do not overcook them. Drain the sprouts well.

Wipe and dry the pot and heat the olive oil in it. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the sprouts and nutmeg and sauté for another minute. Mix in the Parmesan cheese and toss the sprouts until the cheese melts.

This recipe is super quick and a good choice if you’re looking to whip-up something on the spot. I served them with a safe main of turkey meatballs and pasta. However I wasn’t thrilled with the sprouts. They were too spicy for my taste and I do think they’d be better with less dressing. But maybe that’s just me. Nevertheless, I’m liking brussel sprouts and will be using them again in the LAIC kitchen. Perhaps they’re not so hated, after all. Enjoy!

you need to get my mom’s brussel sprout recipe – believe it involves roasting with copius amounts of butter, kosher or sea salt and a sprinkle of fresh grated parmesan. so yummy they are literally the cause of fights for the last/biggest/crispiest one among not just my somewhat healthy family but our friends who eat almost no vegetables ever.